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First of all, BIG congratulations to the USA Women’s field hockey team, both for qualifying for the Olympics, but also for a great finish against Argentina in a four-game series that was even televised on NBC Sports Network.

Speed painter Michael Ostaski (along-side popular corporate act The Pink Flamingos) was invited to perform at an event that the team held, a celebratory gathering of friends, family of the athletes, coaches, sponsors, past, current and future olympians, etc., and what a gathering it was!

London 2012!!

To begin the entertainment, Michael painted a larger than life patriotic portrait, with superb singer Ashley King providing the grand, vocal finale, and then the Pink Flamingos took over.

A little later, Michael wowed with another painting, this time of the London 2012 Olympics logo. After he finished this 2nd masterpiece, the Olympic march began to play and the band members lined up along the tables of the athletes- coach Lee Bodimeade introduced each Olympian one by one to the crowd and called them to the stage, and confetti followed each one as they ascended.

It rained confetti and splendor.

Once all of the athletes were on stage, the emcee brought back Michael for one final time, painting a field hockey player, and then spectacularly revealing the names of the 16 qualifying athletes while they watched from their spots on stage.

“We made the Olympic Team!”

Once Michael finished his third and last painting, the Olympians lifted a giant American flag and held it along the stage’s edge – and Ashley sang the National Anthem all by himself, no instruments, no track, just his stirring voice and a couple thousand listening ears.

Even a fiercely loyal Canadian couldn’t help but feel like a Patriot.

The National Anthem a la King

After he finished, the athletes tore off the stage and began to party, as The Pink Flamingos took center stage for a highly interactive dance.

This was a great opportunity for Michael (whom calling a “sports fan” would be the understatement of the century, by the way) to blend two seemingly unrelated mediums together – two mediums he loves. He did it once back in 2008 for Beijing, did it again this year for London, and he’s ready for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics – ready when you are, Olympians!